Italian Clam Tacos Recipes

THE BEST HOMEMADE TACOS RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper to the meat. Stir well. Cook until the meat is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato sauce and water. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes, until some of the liquid evaporates but the meat mixture is still a little saucy. Remove from the heat.
• Warm the taco shells according to their package directions.
• Fill the taco shells with 2 heaping tablespoons of taco meat. Top with desired taco toppings: shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, taco sauce, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

ITALIAN CLAM TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tortillas with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until crisp, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, avocado and half of the parsley to a bowl and add the chile pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a third of the garlic. Stir together and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining parsley and garlic. Add the shrimp and cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, then remove the shrimp from the pan. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and add the cream. Cook, covered, until it thickens like a sauce, about 4 minutes. Add the clams and cover. Cook over medium heat until the clams are fully opened, about 7 minutes. Peel the shrimp (reserve the shells) and remove the clams from their shells. Chop the shrimp and clams and reserve.
• Fill a small pot halfway with water and add the onions, shrimp shells and some salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, 20 minutes, to make a broth. Strain the broth into the cream sauce to enhance the flavors. Add the cayenne.
• Place 1 toasted tortilla on each of 4 plates. Top each with the shrimp and clam mixture add the tomato-avocado salsa. Finish with the cream sauce.

TINY TACOS

Steps:

• Add oil, onion, and ground beef to a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, chipotle, garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne. Break beef apart with a spatula to mix in spices; cook until browned and crumbled into very small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and water and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until most of the liquid has reduced, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in jalapeno peppers and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stack up 2 or 3 corn tortillas at a time and use a 2-inch round pastry cutter to cut 4 small circles out of each stack, making 60 total. Place circles in a single layer, 1/2 inch apart, on sheet pans.
• Mix Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses together. Top each tortilla circle with cheese, using the pastry cutter to keep it from spilling onto the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheese. Top each with about 1 teaspoon taco beef and another teaspoon cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Carefully fold each tortilla in half, being careful not to press out the filling. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as necessary, pan-fry tacos until crispy and heated through and the edges are a bit caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.